All Sports Network

[Old Man River]

Effective June 1st, TrueVisions will be deleting BBC Entertainment, Animax and STC and will be adding AXN Beyond, All Sports Network and Nickelodeon.

I have googled All Sports Network and can't figure out what it is. Is it an all Thai sports network, or something else?

Edited May 1, 2009 by Old Man River

[Old Man River]

As a follow up to my own question, I just found the description from Star below. I am hoping it is the same one and if it is, I am starting to get excited:

All Sports Network

All Sports Network, ASN, a brand new 24-hour Pan Asian sports channel featuring exclusive coverage of some of the America’s biggest sports and other thrilling action events from around the world including the U.S. National Football League (NFL – up to 4 live games per week), the National Hockey League (NHL – up to 5 live games per week), and NCAA college basketball and football, March Madness, Motor-sports (such as Formula Drift, Touring Car, GT racing), Extreme Sports, Pro

Edited May 1, 2009 by Old Man River

[jfchandler]

A bit more about ASN....

Hong Kong's All Sports Network nabs NHL distribution rights in much of Asia

by Darren Murph, posted Sep 28th 2008 at 5:45PM

The NHL may not have the viewership in America as, say, the NFL, but that doesn't mean it can't find fans elsewhere. In a rather unexpected move, Hong Kong-based All Sports Network (ASN) has signed a multi-year deal to posses rights for broadcasting NHL matchups throughout much of Asia (India, South Korea and China included). Over 130 upcoming regular-season games will be televised on ASN's Yes TV along with the All-Star game, playoffs and the Stanley Cup Final. The good news? The broadcast rights include "all forms of television, including HDTV." The bad? Japan, Australia and New Zealand have been excluded from the agreement.

[jfchandler]

XFMedia buys a stake in All Sports Network

By: Cass Lam, Hong Kong

Published: Sep 30, 2008

Hong Kong- XFMedia has invested $US2 million in All Sports Network (ASN), with U.S. sports coverage scheduled to be aired on Hong Kong-based Yes TV this month.

Yes TV owns TVB Pay Vision network, which operates the soccer channels GOALTV1 and GOALTV2 on now TV.

XFMedia now owns 15.5% stake in ASN and has been granted exclusive distribution rights to broadcast North America's sports content including National Hockey League, National Football League and NCAA basketball.

Thomas Kressner (pictured), CEO of Yes TV, said there will be significant and growing demand for sports content in all major markets, especially in China.

Fredy Bush, CEO of XFMedia, said international sports content is one of the top commercial opportunities in the China media field today.

"It is a very efficient way to make contact with the upwardly mobile and high net worth demographic that is at the heart of XFMedia's strategy."

Link here....

[jfchandler]

PCCW adds All Sports Network to now TV

16.01.09

Hong Kong telco PCCW has added the All Sports Network (ASN) to its IPTV service 'now TV', featuring 24-hour broadcasts of American sports action including games from the National Football League (NFL) and National Hockey League (NHL).

The full content lineup also includes NCAA college basketball and football, March Madness, motorsports including Formula Drift, Touring Car and GT racing, plus Extreme Sports, Pro Bull Riding and more.

ASN is the second sports network from Yes Television (Hong Kong), a pan-Asian media company focusing on the production and distribution of premium sports channels. The channel broadcasts over 35 live sports games each week, including four NFL and five NHL games along with leagues, pre- and post-game analysis, highlights, news, reviews, updates and magazine shows.

"The value of sports content, particularly North American sports, is growing rapidly across Asia," said Thomas Kressner, CEO of All Sports Network. "ASN aims to become the home for fans who love the hard-hitting action of American sports and for viewers who demand the highest production and picture quality in their sports entertainment. ASN is also available in HD and the service is expected to be rolled out in Asia later this year."

The All Sports Network was launched on now TV yesterday (January 15th) and is available for HK$ 80 (US$ 10.30) per month. Existing subscribers to the Mega Sports Pack can also access the channel for a special rate of HK$ 40 per month.

PCCW rolled out now TV over its broadband network in 2003, and has enjoyed such strong subscriber growth thanks to a number of exclusive content deals, including coverage for the English Premier League football rights, that it is now challenging for the position of the largest pay-TV provider in the country. According to its latest figures, PCCW had expected now TV to account for at least half of Hong Kong's TV homes, or around one million IPTV subscribers, by the end of 2008.

Link here....

[BigSnake]

Hope an all weather Channel follow soon.

[jfchandler]

Here's the background from the news release last fall about the network's plan to launch this new channel...

ASN will offer exclusive coverage of North America's biggest sports

leagues in HDTV (high definition television), including the NHL (National

Hockey League), the NFL (National Football League), NCAA basketball and

football, March Madness and the Final Four. ASN will also offer coverage in

Asia for the top college conferences in the USA including the Big Ten, Pac 10,

SEC and ACC, including basketball, baseball, tennis, swimming, golf, football,

soccer, track and field and gymnastics. Additionally, there will be extensive

coverage of motor sports and extreme sports such as snowboarding, surfing, and

skateboarding. ASN is expected to generate revenue through subscriptions,

advertisings and sponsorships.

[Old Man River]

Here's the background from the news release last fall about the network's plan to launch this new channel...

ASN will offer exclusive coverage of North America's biggest sports

leagues in HDTV (high definition television), including the NHL (National

Hockey League), the NFL (National Football League), NCAA basketball and

football, March Madness and the Final Four. ASN will also offer coverage in

Asia for the top college conferences in the USA including the Big Ten, Pac 10,

SEC and ACC, including basketball, baseball, tennis, swimming, golf, football,

soccer, track and field and gymnastics. Additionally, there will be extensive

coverage of motor sports and extreme sports such as snowboarding, surfing, and

skateboarding. ASN is expected to generate revenue through subscriptions,

advertisings and sponsorships.

Thanks for all this info. I remember Patsfangr hoping for something like this, but I thought it would never happen.

For those of us that love sports in the US, this is wonderful. I am tired of turning on all of True's sports channels and being bombarded with soccer. Finally, a real alternative.

[Old Man River]

Below is ASN's website.

http://www.asn.tv/eng/about.html

[jfchandler]

Folks, I'm excited to hear the news about this...

But... 1] I couldn't find any mention of this channel addition or the timing on the True UBC web site...

And 2] no one has mentioned whether this will be a standard addition to the Gold and Platinum packages, or is True going to try to sell it as a premium, extra charge per month channel.

[Old Man River]

Folks, I'm excited to hear the news about this...

But... 1] I couldn't find any mention of this channel addition or the timing on the True UBC web site...

And 2] no one has mentioned whether this will be a standard addition to the Gold and Platinum packages, or is True going to try to sell it as a premium, extra charge per month channel.

I have the PVR and it came across in the PVR's mailbox on Thursday. Specifically, the message said:

"Please be informed that BBC Entertainment, Animax, and STC will change to AXN Beyond, All Sports Network, and Nickelodeon effective in 1 June 2009. More details call 0-2725-2525."

I tried to call today, but after waiting a few minutes on hold, I gave up. However, from the message above it does appear that it will be part of the same package that the previous channels were part of.

[gbt71fa]

As a follow up to my own question, I just found the description from Star below. I am hoping it is the same one and if it is, I am starting to get excited:

All Sports Network

All Sports Network, ASN, a brand new 24-hour Pan Asian sports channel featuring exclusive coverage of some of the America’s biggest sports and other thrilling action events from around the world including the U.S. National Football League (NFL – up to 4 live games per week), the National Hockey League (NHL – up to 5 live games per week), and NCAA college basketball and football, March Madness, Motor-sports (such as Formula Drift, Touring Car, GT racing), Extreme Sports, Pro

You mean...finally...REAL football, the NFL...oh my, I feel faint...and, hard to breath now...College football? Oh god, now if they would show the game live and then reapeat it again later in the day...it can't be true...there is a Bhudda!

[gbt71fa]

Effective June 1st, TrueVisions will be deleting BBC Entertainment, Animax and STC and will be adding AXN Beyond, All Sports Network and Nickelodeon.

I have googled All Sports Network and can't figure out what it is. Is it an all Thai sports network, or something else?

Nickelodeon is good stuff for the kiddies...and American Football you say....?

[jfchandler]

Thanks for the info, OMR.... Sounds like it will be part of their regular package... that's GREAT!!!!

fyi, it was interesting.... I was watching the Angels baseball game Sat. on ESPN, and noticed when they showed the box score graphic on the screen, it was showing as the YES network....

That's the name, I believe, of the HK cable operation that ASN is part of, if I recall correctly, from what I read yesterday. So it kind of makes sense they'd be carrying a MLB baseball game now...in Asia...since they supposedly hold the Asian rights now...

BTW, is it just me, or does ESPN here seem to be ignoring the Celtics-Bulls playoffs series??? I checked the True schedule, and saw a bunch of other games, but not any from the Celtics, including the upcoming final game 7 of their series...

ASN....please come to Thailand SOON!!!!!

[rwilem]

Thanks for the info, OMR.... Sounds like it will be part of their regular package... that's GREAT!!!!

fyi, it was interesting.... I was watching the Angels baseball game Sat. on ESPN, and noticed when they showed the box score graphic on the screen, it was showing as the YES network....

That's the name, I believe, of the HK cable operation that ASN is part of, if I recall correctly, from what I read yesterday. So it kind of makes sense they'd be carrying a MLB baseball game now...in Asia...since they supposedly hold the Asian rights now...

BTW, is it just me, or does ESPN here seem to be ignoring the Celtics-Bulls playoffs series??? I checked the True schedule, and saw a bunch of other games, but not any from the Celtics, including the upcoming final game 7 of their series...

Well, don't get your hopes up too high. Did you check the website, and their broadcast schedule?

OK, if you like NHL, they're showing playoff games at this time. But no MLB. They're got Big Ten baseball (yaaaawn), and some out-of-season repeats of old Big Ten football and basketball games (like ESPN, currently airing World Baseball Classic games..hello? Does anyone care about six-week old baseball games?)

No 'sportscenter' type of show, neither, but a daily 'Big Ten Tonight'. Not gonna be must-see TV.

I'm a pro guy, for NFL, MLB, and NBA, and that's it. ASN's not gonna be the answer, I'm afraid.

OH, and ESPN year-in, year-out, ignores half of the NBA playoffs, especially when it comes to the conference finals. They'll show all of one conference's finals games, usually the East, and nothing from the other. (The West last year, no conference finals games aired.) So no surprise the Bos-Chi series, the most compelling first-round series in some time, was given short shrift. I've just about, in fact, I basically have given up on ESPN.

I'd love for ASN to be able to step up and fill the void. We'll see. At least here's hoping the NFL season is given it's proper due by True and ASN, i.e., four live games a week and all playoff games. Give me that, I'll be happy.

[gbt71fa]

Thanks for the info, OMR.... Sounds like it will be part of their regular package... that's GREAT!!!!

fyi, it was interesting.... I was watching the Angels baseball game Sat. on ESPN, and noticed when they showed the box score graphic on the screen, it was showing as the YES network....

That's the name, I believe, of the HK cable operation that ASN is part of, if I recall correctly, from what I read yesterday. So it kind of makes sense they'd be carrying a MLB baseball game now...in Asia...since they supposedly hold the Asian rights now...

BTW, is it just me, or does ESPN here seem to be ignoring the Celtics-Bulls playoffs series??? I checked the True schedule, and saw a bunch of other games, but not any from the Celtics, including the upcoming final game 7 of their series...

ASN....please come to Thailand SOON!!!!!

YES network is also the official network of the New York Yankees Baseball team.

[Old Man River]

Thanks for the info, OMR.... Sounds like it will be part of their regular package... that's GREAT!!!!

fyi, it was interesting.... I was watching the Angels baseball game Sat. on ESPN, and noticed when they showed the box score graphic on the screen, it was showing as the YES network....

That's the name, I believe, of the HK cable operation that ASN is part of, if I recall correctly, from what I read yesterday. So it kind of makes sense they'd be carrying a MLB baseball game now...in Asia...since they supposedly hold the Asian rights now...

BTW, is it just me, or does ESPN here seem to be ignoring the Celtics-Bulls playoffs series??? I checked the True schedule, and saw a bunch of other games, but not any from the Celtics, including the upcoming final game 7 of their series...

ASN....please come to Thailand SOON!!!!!

YES network is also the official network of the New York Yankees Baseball team.

I can't figure out if YES Network TV is the same as ASN's Yes TV. It is confusing.

[missy1827]

Below is ASN's website.

http://www.asn.tv/eng/about.html

Thanks for all the info. Looking forward to this, finally some NHL games!

[jfchandler]

OK... thanks to the above post, I took another look at ASN's web site, and see more info on their programming.

It's interesting to note, they talk a lot about their coverage for NFL football and NHL hockey, but appear to be silent (absent?) about NBA (basketball) and MLB (baseball). [Paren explanations added for the non-U.S. folks reading here...]

From looking at their programming schedule, looks like any coverage here of pro baseball and pro basketball will continue to have to rely on ESPN, which is pretty spotty and inconsistent, as mentioned above. ASN does talk, however, about their rights to cover NCAA basketball and football, including from the Pac 10, though.

Here is the link from their web site re programming: http://www.asn.tv/eng/content.html

For those of us "real" football starved folks, here's their language re NFL programming:

National Football League (NFL)

NFL is one of the most popular sports league in North America. During the NFL season, ASN features over 50 hrs of NFL programming per week, including up to 4 LIVE games per week during the regular season, coverage of all playoff games including the Superbowl and Probowl. ASN features more NFL games in Asia than ever before.

NFL Gameday

A weekly half-hour program of recap of all the previous weekend’s NFL action.

NFL Total Access

NFL Total Access is uniquely structured to see the game through the participants’ eyes. Covering all 32 teams, NFL Total Access features interviews with players, coaches and other key league personnel. Using the most advanced technology, NFL Total Access has the ability to go live to any NFL team headquarters at any time.

50 (FIFTY) hours per week of NFL programming during the season sounds promising, but how do they get to that total???

Up to 4 live games per week (3 hours x 4 games = 12 hours).... Some more for Game Day and Total Access...

And then what? But whatever it is, it's got to be better than what True's been doing lately.

Here, by the way, is their excerpt re NHL Hockey coverage:

National Hockey League (NHL)

The NHL is one of the four big sports leagues in North America. In ASN, you get to watch the oldest professional sports trophy in North America and internationally renowned, The Stanley Cup. ASN features over 10 hrs per week of NHL programming; at least 2 live games per week during the regular season and up to 5 live games per week during the playoffs.

[jfchandler]

Here's their announcement from last Sept. re obtaining rights to NHL hockey games:

ASN SECURES NHL BROADCAST RIGHTS FOR ASIA

HONG KONG/NEW YORK (September 25,

2008) – The National Hockey League (NHL) and ASN of

Hong Kong today announced the signing of a multi-year

deal giving ASN rights to broadcast the NHL via all forms

of television including HDTV and IPTV throughout much of Asia, including the

Indian sub-continent. The content will be a key part of the offering on the All

Sports Network (ASN), a new channel Yes TV has launched across Asia.

NHL programming, which will broadcast on All Sports Network (ASN) at

the start of the NHL’s 2008-09 season, will include more than 130 NHL

regular-season games, the NHL All-Star game, NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs and

Stanley Cup Final, as well as NHL highlight programs.

“Hockey is such a dynamic sport with relatively simple rules and the

National Hockey League has great potential for development in Asia,” said

Thomas Kressner, Yes TV CEO. “We are thrilled to be able to bring another

big American sport to Asian sports fans.”

“We are very pleased with the growing number of partners broadcasting

ASN, especially in China with our distribution and equity partner XFMedia,”

added Mr. Kressner. “Ice hockey is quite popular in the northern parts of China

and its popularity is growing. The NHL represents the pinnacle of professional

ice hockey and we are proud to be bringing the best of this exciting sport to the

fans in China through the strong, nationwide platform of XFMedia.”

"We have been very impressed by ASN’s aggressive rollout plans and

their commitment to a growing roster of sports programming," said Ken Yaffe,

NHL Senior Vice President, International. “Partnering with ASN represents a

significant step in expanding our broadcast footprint internationally, and we are

excited to begin offering our fans in Asia a comprehensive, season-long game

schedule.”

Korean distribution of NHL games through ASN will begin during the

second year of the deal. This deal does not extend to Japan, Australia and

New Zealand.

[Old Man River]

Live Hockey! Game 2 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs is on ASN now.

All Sports Network (ASN) which is now on Truevisions channel 40 is right now showing live coverage of game 2 of the Pitt Detroit Stanley Cup final. Detroit leads the series 1 -0, and this game is 0-0 in the 1st period.

On another thread I said I didn't see any live sports, but somehow missed this game, as well as the live auto race last night. For sure, this station will become much watched.

[jfchandler]

This being June 1, I just checked the TrueVisions web site, and they've got to be CRAZY!!!!!!

I'm a Gold Package subscriber, and when I try to access Channel 40 (ASN), I get "service scrambled."

So I check the web site, for packages, and now I see ASN listed as part of the Platinum Package, but NOT the Gold Package, but then it IS listed as part of the Silver Package, which has only one other sports channel, True Sports 2 (and not ESPN, Star Sports or any of the others).

If I stay with the Gold Package, I can't get ASN.

If I downgrade to the Silver Package, I also lose HBO, Star Movies, AXN, MTV, CNN, BBC News and CNBC.

Given that Gold is almost double the price of silver (1400 baht vs. 750 baht per month), and all the other sports channels except ESPN (sometimes) are crappy, it's almost tempting to downgrade. But I really would prefer not to surrender CNN and CNBC. And I'm sure as he-l not going to give them 2000+ a month for Platinum.

Why they would choose to include ASN in Platinum, omit it from Gold, and then include it in their Silver package makes NO SENSE.

[patsfangr]

I've checked out the ASN website, and I am a VERY happy fan right now! This is the best thing that's happened to Thai TV since I moved here 3 years ago.

By the way, guys, I suggest that you bookmark the website ( http://www.asn.tv/eng/about.html), as you can get accurate schedules directly, rather than depending upon the often incorrect ones printed in the TrueV magazine. For example, this month, they posted the schedule with the Hong Kong times for the new "AXN Beyond" channel. Everything is an hour late in the magazine. I think they do have it right for ASN, however.

Why not take just a minute to drop a note of "Thanks!" to TrueV? Seriously, we need to reinforce their decision to pay for this new network. The more praise they receive, the stronger will be their commitment to keep it going for us. After all, they dropped networks to add the 3 new ones. If they don't feel there's enough interest in ASN, we could see it disappear also. Please, just a minute for note to them.

[Old Man River]

I've checked out the ASN website, and I am a VERY happy fan right now! This is the best thing that's happened to Thai TV since I moved here 3 years ago.

By the way, guys, I suggest that you bookmark the website ( http://www.asn.tv/eng/about.html), as you can get accurate schedules directly, rather than depending upon the often incorrect ones printed in the TrueV magazine. For example, this month, they posted the schedule with the Hong Kong times for the new "AXN Beyond" channel. Everything is an hour late in the magazine. I think they do have it right for ASN, however.

Why not take just a minute to drop a note of "Thanks!" to TrueV? Seriously, we need to reinforce their decision to pay for this new network. The more praise they receive, the stronger will be their commitment to keep it going for us. After all, they dropped networks to add the 3 new ones. If they don't feel there's enough interest in ASN, we could see it disappear also. Please, just a minute for note to them.

I have already voiced my delight to them over the phone, but you are right, in writing is better. However, from the message above, I don't think JF Chandler is going to be sending them any supportive messages any time soon.

[jfchandler]

Not exactly true, OMR...

I'm REALLY happy they've added ASN, and look forward to hopefully seeing more NFL games on True during the coming season. But because of the silly way True has handled this, I may simply ax my Gold Package, revert back to Silver to get ASN, and save 500-700 baht (about $20 U.S.) per month for the privilege.

I want to see NFL football, NBA basketball and sometimes MLB baseball. That's a pretty American thing, I'd assume.

Just lately, unrelated to True's machinations, by signing up with the NBA for their FREE Audio League Pass, I (and anyone else) now can hear live radio broadcasts via the Internet of ALL NBA games all season long, including the playoffs and finals. I've been using that to listen to the Eastern Finals games that True wasn't broadcasting on ESPN, and it works great. And it's TOTALLY FREE. So between that and video on the Internet, I've got the NBA covered, even if I lose ESPN by downgrading to True Silver.

So then there's just MLB. And frankly, there's just too many games for me to be a big TV consumer of those. So when I want to catch a baseball game, there are ways/places to find it via audio or video via the Internet. So again, I can probably live without ESPN and their crappy, hit and miss baseball coverage.

So that leaves only football. I guess I need to consider relying on True and ASN via the Silver Package, vs. staying with Gold and relying on something like the NFL's audio or video League Pass. But of all the sports, I'd really like to SEE NFL football on regular broadcast TV, where Internet speed connections are never an issue.

It's darned tempting, though, to shoot for the stars and try the NFL Video League Pass to get video access to ALL NFL games throughout the season. Maybe drop back to True Silver and get ASN, save about $20 a month throughout the year vs. the Gold Package, and then put those savings into the NFL video League Pass.

Not sure yet, and got some time to think about it and consider the options before the start of the season. But as I said above, giving ASN to the Silver and Platinum packages, but leaving it out of the Gold Package, makes NO SENSE.

[patsfangr]

I'd offer just one caution on dropping back to the TrueV Silver package. I know that the website shows it available on Silver and Platiinum; but has anyone with Silver verified that? TrueV has, after all, been known to make errors on their website, as well as in their magazine, in the past. As has been said here, it doesn't seem to make sense to have it on Silver, and not on Gold. (But, again, "making sense" is not always a requirement for an Thai business decisions either!)

I'd suggest that you call them, or find someone who has the Silver package, and check it out before you drop down.

[ironhut]

I went to check AXN's website and almost cried. I must be still dreaming. Heading to the TRUE office to change my package this morning...don't really care what the cost is.

[mikebike]

Wow I'm dreaming... I don't watch the TV much but I was flipping around tonight and saw NHL Playoff hockey! Freaked me out... Did some research and I think I really like this! Thanks True!

[bkkjames]

Wow I'm dreaming... I don't watch the TV much but I was flipping around tonight and saw NHL Playoff hockey! Freaked me out... Did some research and I think I really like this! Thanks True!

I almost forgot what Playoff hockey was like. But will wait till the fall to upgrade when the new NFL, NHL season kick off.

[binnsy]

As a follow up to my own question, I just found the description from Star below. I am hoping it is the same one and if it is, I am starting to get excited:

All Sports Network

All Sports Network, ASN, a brand new 24-hour Pan Asian sports channel featuring exclusive coverage of some of the America’s biggest sports and other thrilling action events from around the world including the U.S. National Football League (NFL – up to 4 live games per week), the National Hockey League (NHL – up to 5 live games per week), and NCAA college basketball and football, March Madness, Motor-sports (such as Formula Drift, Touring Car, GT racing), Extreme Sports, Pro

Thats ok if you are from USA/CANADA but can us Brits have some Cricket and Rugby Union/League OK we get some 7s rugby but what about British Lions Tour?